There are several types of mint, each with its own subtle difference in flavour and appearance.…

Method

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Rub 1 tbsp olive oil into the chicken thighs. Mix the garlic, cumin, coriander and paprika together, then rub all over the chicken thighs on both sides.

Heat a large flameproof casserole, add the chicken thighs and cook over a medium heat for 5 mins until golden on both sides. You might need to do this in 2 batches, depending on the size of the casserole. Set the chicken aside. Turn down the heat, add the remaining oil and fry the onion for 5 mins until softened.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients, apart from the mint and bring to the boil. Place the chicken thighs on top and pour in any juices. Cover and cook for 1½ hrs, until the meat is tender and the sauce thickened. Can be cooled and frozen at this stage for up to 1 month. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge, then gently warm through. Scatter with fresh mint leaves and serve with couscous or rice.

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Comments, questions and tips

Lovely meal. Unlike others I didn't read the comments before making this and made mm own ada[potations. Instead of red lentils I used Puy lentils and found the sauce to be a reasonable consistency. I also used tomato puree rather than ketchup and rather more than 1 table spoonful and used halved breasts instead of thighs and served it with sweet potato mash.. My wife, who has a number of intolerance and other problems thoroughly enjoyed it

Thor2013

14th Dec, 2016

One word yummy

ecollins

7th Sep, 2016

3.8

Nice recipe. Easy to make. like others, I put in only 500ml of stock. This was more than enough. I did find it was under-seasoned. I would add more depending on what you prefer. I also added some thinly sliced bell pepper and extra lentils. I think it would have been a bit light otherwise. Gist of the recipe is fine. Just tweak a little as you go!

SiNZ

1st Jun, 2016

3.8

Good stuff. Instead of ketchup, I used harissa. (Ketchup, really?) After reading comments, I used less stock (500ml) and think I should have added more lentils or reduced stock further. Either that or add some capsicum and/or mushrooms to flesh out the sauce a bit more. Overall, despite these comments, it is delicious. Chicken thighs were very tender. Also added a chilli and a cup of quinoa to accompany. Recommended but tinker with the recipe.

Franklp

10th Oct, 2015

5.05

Seriously delicious! Following others advice I used about half the stock and some harissa for an extra spice kick. I added more lentils plus some carrots and came out as a wonderful, thick stew. No need for rice or cous cous just a bowl of tasty goodness!

Jackie Gilmore-Crowe

9th Sep, 2015

This dish is amazing with a bit of adaptation My 19 year old son had seconds. Firstly reduce the stock by half and secondly increase the spices according to taste. I used diced chicken breast and did it on the hob - reduces cooking time. A really lovely dish.

carefuldavid

4th Sep, 2015

5.05

I loved this dish, but as others have said, there is too much stock - 500 ml is ample. A sliced red or green pepper, or courgette or also give it more substance. A sprinkling of toasted, flaked almonds also work well.

andy_b4

13th May, 2015

Just made this with a few alterations and it was delicious! Didn't have any lentils so threw in some chickpeas instead and added some chunks of carrot. Also added some green olives and chopped pickled lemons once cooked to finish off...oh and chopped flat leaf parsley instead of mint. Will defo do again.

Angelica Mercie...

15th Oct, 2014

5.05

Made this after reading comments so I made a few changes: I had 7 pieces of boneless chicken thighs, I reduced the mentioned spices just a little bit. I did not add oil to fry the onion, the pan was still glazed with some fat from the chicken. I added a couple of apricots less and added a little bit more lentils. I added some smoked and hot paprika and some Ras el Hanout spice mix. I also added red and green bell peppers to the mix. I used frozen but you can add fresh ones and fry them after the onion for a bit. I added some black pepper too. I reduced the stock to 450ml. I cooked mine covered on the stove top and simmered everything for an hour. Super tasty and delicious! Chicken was very tender and sauce very tasty! I served mine with a side of red and white quinoa and bulgar mix.

CookingCopper

15th Feb, 2014

I'm not a huge fan of apricots, but this recipe is delicious. I used chicken breast instead of thighs. The meat was lovely and tender. Beautiful rich flavours, perfect with cous cous. I'll definitely be cooking is again.

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